Improved washing-machine



NOAH DREW, or HOWELL, MICHIGAN.

Letters Patent No. 78,440, dated Jut@ 2, 186s.

IMPROVED WASHING-MGHINE.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: e Be it known that I, NUAH DRW,-o Howell, in the county ci' Livingston, and State of Michigan, haye invented certain new anduseful Improvements -in Washing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that lthe vfollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification, in whichl Figure 1 is a longitudinal'vcrtical section.

Figure 2 isa plane view of' strainer-bottom. i

Figure 3 is a perspective view of spring-wire key detached.

Similar letters oi' reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

'Ihe washing-machine, to which the improvements herein described are represented as applied, resembles, in its general features, the machine described in the specications' embodied in my Letters Patentdated October 30, 1866, in which a series of peculiarly-formed plunger-heads, connected to cranks, (set out at regular intervals around 'a crankshaft,) operates within aninclined yielding ends-box, successiyely against the clothe`splaced beforea moulded end-board, b. v Y

In the improved machine, which I am now about to describe,` I fasten the suds-box to the frame, as in the ordinary Way, and-construct the rods R, which connect the plungerheads,`p, withthe. cranks, in two. parts, as at 'r1 a", the latter sliding within a tube, t, like. a telescope, a spiral wire spring, c, being inserted within said tube, bctwecn the two section-rods, to communicate an elastic or yielding eect to the plunge-rs, which may be aided by a rubber backing, ,'behind the crank-bearings, and an interposed rubber plug, placed `inside ofthe springs. I

is passing the working-centre; and in connection with this, and for .the additional purposelof graduating the resistance to the hand-power of the operator, I provide for lengthening or shortening the rods, by so tting the plungers thereon that theymay be slid back orforth, and secured, when properly adjusted, by a wire key, as at a, inserted through into the properhole of a range of holes in the rod, or by any. other convenient device.

The usual path of tra-vel in plunger-machines is on the bottom of the suds-box, which is evidently vobjec tionablc, as the sediment is carried back by tlfeplungers against theclothes. To remedy this, I place in the v ends-box -a platform, A, (see iig. 2,) the lower end of which-is slotted, as indicated at e, or otherwise perforated, to permit the dirt-sediment to fall Vthrough into a chamber or space formed by means of strips ot' wood. inter posed, withwhich this platform or detachable raisedbottom is furnished.

When the operator turns the hand-crank C, the plunger-headsp are driven by rapidly succeeding strokes against the, clothes, which presses thevwater through them in all directions, while the twisting motion given to the stepped faces of said plungers, by the .descent of the jointed rods, towards' the end of the'throw of the crank, turns the clothes to fresh positions for-the succeeding strokes. Y

This operation although excellent in its eiiect upon the clothes, has,`from the manner in which the plungerJ heads were hithertoconstructed, required, more hand-labor, than was deemed desirable,partly from the resist'- ance of the.v suds-watcr to the rapid motion ot' said plungers, and partly' to the fact that theirbott'oms were unbroken planes, which had a tendency to adhere, by vacuum-suction, at the p'oint ofl largest surface-contact, during a part of the return stroke. To remedy this defect, I now make deep longitudinal grooves in thebot toms of the plunger-heads, as well as in the sides, as sect at at, which permits free unobstructed motion.

To connect and disconnect readily and quickly by hand the various parts in such a machine, as herein described, I have devised and use what I term a spring-wire key, to be employed either as akcy proper to connect the rods with the crank,iand plungers Awith the'rods, or as a check-pin` to confine any part to its place as, for instance, the hand-crank. This key is shown at a, and is lillustrated on an enlarged scale in g. 3, and

is constructed simply of apiece of spring-wire, @usually brass,) which isvbent into an eye in the' middle, the straight shanks being left diverging, as seen. These are designed to be sprung together parallel, and inserted This arrangement is intended to prevent the jar or shock always felt in this kind of machine when the crankA in holes through the parts to be connected. But when used as a'check-pin, to, say, confine the crank, one shank may be inserted through the shaft, :ind the other (ont short) lie-sprung past the outside/ofA said, shank while inserting.

Hgving described .what'I deem to be new and useful improvements in this kind of machine5'I .will say, further, that I usually enclose the snide-box completely, so as to confine the` steam from thehot suda, and prevent splashing over. v l

The cover No, 1 shinged to ndtu'rns bock uponl No. 2and cover No. 8 is hinged to the side-girt of the frame, the inner cover, .Nog 4, being detachable. The spring-wire keys a' may be fitted so loosely that any one may insert and pull themv out with the thuml) and finger, and yetl the spring-pressure is sufficient to keep them always in place. e

I disclaim the generalA arrangement of theplungers, rods, and cranks, in combinntionjvvith the moulded endboard b, for thzit has already heen secured'to me by-Letters Patent, but-'- What I claim as new, and ,of my inventiomnnd desire to securehy Letters Patent, is es follows:

\ I claim a. connecting-rod, construeted in twoparts, r1 r, in combination with the'tube t, spiral or equivalen@ spring s, and adjustable plunger-hecds p, substantially as and fol-the purpose herein described.-

" i NOAH DREW,

Witnesses:

MILo L. GAY, FRANK FLINT. 

